[Element]

Well I have been looking at these American Fender Teles but they're a little out of my price range at the moment and I don't want too cheap out on an MIM.
So I want to know what the deal is with G&L? I remember someone telling me it was something Leo Fender did after selling Fender or something. Any help? And how do they comepare to American and Mexican Teles.

 

[kat_]

The G stands for George Fullerton and the L for Leo Fender. Fender started the company in 1979 and stayed with it until his death. Have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G&L They make some lovely guitars. If their main line is out of your price range then look at the Tribute guitars too.

 

[Robert1950]

When I was interested in a strat, I tried several (25-30), American, MIM and a used G&L. It was the best of the bunch. I loved the neck. But I decided to do something else and didn't follow through, I regret it now. Later when I was thinking of getting a cheap strat I tried some MIMs and a couple of G&L Legacy Tributes. I liked the G&Ls better. (But I opted to get a guitar with P90s.)

Take a look at their web site. http://www.glguitars.com/frameset.htm

 

[zdogma]

I had a G&L Skyhawk (like a legacy, but with an natural ash body and magnetic field pickups, a 1985 model). It was my #1 for 15 years. The woods and the build quality were excellent. It played in tune and was tough as heck. I took it on the road, in and out of -30 weather with no special treatment.

My only complaint was the pickups. They sounded very good, but were microphonic at high gain levels. I don't think the strat pickups do that. ANd the G&L trem is tough to adjust.

Every bit as good as my USA tele's and strats.

 

[david henman]

...i'm no fan of the g&l trem. in my opinion, it is poorly designed, klunky and (at least on the two legacies i've owned) cannot find the zero point.

on the other hand, however, the build quality is astounding, and the tone on the legacy i currently own, which is my number one stage guitar, is mouth-watering.

for tone, build quality, playability and looks, i cannot recommend g&l highly enough.

-dh

 

[droptop88]

First [email protected] I ever picked up (a Legacy) had this nice beefy neck and big frets. I liked it right away - always saw them as a little better alternative to Fender, quality wise. Can't say i was fussy about the headstock design or the trem, but the necks were always right on for me. I've got a neck pickup out of an asat in one of my teles. It sounds great - excellent output and clarity. I've got it coupled with a Peter Florance TE bridge pickup (10k or so), and it balances just great. Overall very good guitars for the $$ -

Peter

 

[NB_Terry]

If you look hard, you can buy a nice clean used Legacy or ASAT for $500 or $600.

I've had 3 G&LS, 1 S-500 (blue with vintage green pickguard), 1 Legacy with a natural Ash body and 1 93 Legacy in sunburst. I bought them all used in Calgary, and they were all in VG condition.

BTW, any of you Calgary guys ever own one of these particular guitars? One I got at L&M, one from that music store that used to be on Kensington road, and the other from Cash Convertors.

 

[droptop88]

Hey Terry, does the 93' Legacy have that kind of tinted fingerboard hue? Two tone burst? Might know it... the S-500 I'm sure I've seen in my travels - either at Steve's or in John's basement...... there's been so many. Did you ever play that KILLER early Japanese JV 3 tone sunburst strat - rosewood board - really good one?

Peter

 

[Robert1950]

Element. Where do you live? Check the dealer link at G&L and go try a few in there is one near you.

 

[Robert1950]

...i'm no fan of the g&l trem. in my opinion, it is poorly designed, klunky and (at least on the two legacies i've owned) cannot find the zero point.

-dh

David. I wouldn't have noticed, as I not really a vibrato bar user. Did you change the unit?

 

[NB_Terry]

I still have the 93 Legacy, but I swapped necks on the 96 legacy I had.

The 93 Legacy has a mother of pearl pickguard. Does it sound like the one you remember?

What was that music store on Kensington road called? It was right near a Dairy Queen which is also now gone. That's where I bought the blue S-500. I'm sure it sat there for a long time before I bought it. It's now in Kingston Ontario.

 

[Jeff Flowerday]

G&L are well made. I don't know about their Tele variant, but their Strat variant doesn't sound like a strat to me. I'm certain it's the Trem.

 

[NB_Terry]

G&L are well made. I don't know about their Tele variant, but their Strat variant doesn't sound like a strat to me. I'm certain it's the Trem.

Agreed. It's a very good sound, but not really Strat-like.

Even when I put Fralin Vintages in the guitar it didn't make it very "Stratty".

 

[kat_]

What was that music store on Kensington road called? It was right near a Dairy Queen which is also now gone. That's where I bought the blue S-500. I'm sure it sat there for a long time before I bought it. It's now in Kingston Ontario.

Wasn't it called Driftwood or something like that? I used to buy 2nd hand tab books in there.

 

[NB_Terry]

Wasn't it called Driftwood or something like that? I used to buy 2nd hand tab books in there.

That's it. They had a huge selection of old guitar magazines and sheet music.

Back to the G&L talk, as you were. :tongue:

 

[droptop88]

Can't remember if that Legacy has a pearloid pickguard or not. Kind of think it did though. Also owned an Asat special - like the "Will Ray one" I believe, same kind of green/turquoise colour. Rosewood board as I recall. Pretty good, but they all seem to get lost in that fog of advancing age

Peter

 

[Mr. David Severson]

I had a G&L S 500. Great guitar but I sold it to get my 65 Fender Relic.

 

[kat_]

I don't know about their Tele variant, but their Strat variant doesn't sound like a strat to me.

I have a G&L Asat (tele) that anyone in Calgary is welcome to play if you're at a jam I'm at. I haven't played enough teles to really compare them, but using both pickups together it doesn't sound overly bright or country-ish.

 

[david henman]

G&L are well made. I don't know about their Tele variant, but their Strat variant doesn't sound like a strat to me. I'm certain it's the Trem.

...interesting theory.

i was disappointed, at first, until i learned to love it for what it is.

the tone is amazing. very rich, astoundingly deep low end, and piano-like sustain. imagine a strat that's been to harvard!

even with that idiotic trem bridge, i'd buy another legacy.

-dh

 

[david henman]

David. I wouldn't have noticed, as I not really a vibrato bar user. Did you change the unit?

...i sent the first one back to g&l. on its way back to me, it got destroyed by ups. i noticed, however, that g&l had NOT fixed the problem.

the replacement they shipped, however, has the same problem. however, it seems to have settled in, somewhat, and the tuning instability is less severe.

i have been very, very careful not to tamper with the factory set up.

actually, the techs at the 12th fret concur that it really is a poorly designed trem bridge. brian mascarin also worked on the guitar, and was unable to solve the tuning issues.

its got a ten year warranty, fortunately. if the problem persists, i will speak directly with g&l's top guys and ask them the million-dollar question: "what would YOU do?"

-dh